Writing Hero: Martha Alderson

For a long time now, Becca and I have wanted a way to acknowledge the people who have helped us develop into stronger writers and who add to the writing community as a whole. As a new feature here at The Bookshelf Muse, Becca and I will take turns giving well-deserved recognition to some of the people who really make an impact…people who truly are Writing Heroes.

Martha is the complete PLOT package for writers. Not only does she have an amazing blog (Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers) with a TON of excellent articles and resources, she is also the mastermind behind PlotWriMo (a plot-fest during the month of December), Blockbuster Plots for Writers & has a dedicated You Tube channel which looks at step-by-step planning to Plot a Novel (or screenplay, memoir, etc.) This series is so incredibly helpful for anyone looking to build strong novel structure! She tackles everything in this 27 video plot smorgasbord: thematic tension, conflict resolution, turning points, protagonist & antagonist development, setting, sub-plots and more. It is a MUST-WATCH!

Martha is E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E, running fantastic workshops on plotting, speaking at conferences and hosting incredibly helpful retreats for writers. She’s also the author of The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Story Structure Any Writer Can Master, and Blockbuster Plots. She loves to teach and it shows, and she has mentored thousands of writers and screenwriters along the way. Did I mention we have the same agent? We do!

This is really only an overview of the AWESOME-THAT-IS-MARTHA. I strongly recommend you check out these links to really see how she can help you with your writing, just like I did. Don’t forget to sign up for her e-zine on Plot Tips, too.

Thank you Martha for being one of my WRITING HEROES. So much work has gone into your websites and your vlog series…it boggles the mind. You inspire me and I appreciate all you do! 🙂

To pay it forward, I will give a 1000-word critique to Martha. She can then choose to keep it for herself or offer it as a giveaway on her blog, twitter, FB, etc! As a resident writing hero, she will also have a permanent link in our header.

So tell me Musers…do you know The Plot Whisperer? Has she helped you or your writing in some way? Please tell us in the comments and help celebrate this amazing WRITING HERO!

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About ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is an international speaker and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also enjoys dreaming up new tools and resources for One Stop For Writers, a library built to help writers elevate their storytelling.

I watched each of Martha’s videos on plotting, and worked on my novel using each step. I can’t even begin to tell you what I learned not just about plotting, but about character arc, goals, emotion and theme! My WIP is so much stronger because of her. Thank you, Martha!

It’s a pleasure to feature you here, Martha! You help so many writers and we all want you to know how much this is appreciated. Writing is such a hard yet worthy pursuit, and it’s people like you who make the journey a lot smoother! 🙂

Thank you for your kind and generous words! What an honor. Truly. I’m touched.

I’ve just this week moved my 92-year old mother & blogger into her new home next door to us and have been out of touch.

Jill kindly sent me this link and I just now spotted a bunch of tweets about your post.

You bring me back to my passion and help remind me of who I am beyond daughter… Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

I wish for you every secret dream comes true. You deserve all the very best. Thank you again. And thanks to all your followers for their kind words, too! What a wonderful community of writers you have!

I love her vlogging series on plot and all her great articles on plotting. It’s such a massive topic, a critical element to get right in fiction. I love plotting, I love the layers to it, and I am always ready to learn more. 🙂